Top apparel exporter Vietnam faces higher U.S. tariffs than peers

Among top investors in Vietnam are Nike NKE.N, Gap GAP.N, Ralph Lauren RL.N and Under Armour UAA.N. The companies did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

The new tariffs of 10% and 12.5%, which take effect on Friday, target 60 trading partners over allegations of lax enforcement of forced labour bans.

Vietnam, which is still negotiating a trade deal with the U.S. under the Trump administration, faces a 12.5% tariff rate, as does China. Competitors Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia, which have done trade deals, are subject to 10% duties.

The measures are intended to replace temporary 10% tariffs expiring on Friday that the Trump administration imposed after the U.S. Supreme Court in February struck down its "reciprocal" duties of 10% to 50% that had been introduced under emergency powers.

Vietnam overtook China last year as the largest exporter of apparel to the U.S., and it is also one of the countries with the largest trade surpluses with Washington, according to U.S. trade data.